Despite a more than 20 year gap in between the last “Mortal Kombat” film and the upcoming release, fans of the franchise have remained loyal to the movies and video games. The latest film in the series will arrive in theaters and on HBO Max on April 23. If you’re not already subscribed to HBO Max a monthly subscription costs $14.99 a month which grants you access to thousands of blockbuster films, hit TV series, and a myriad of classic movie titles, plus exclusive programming including “Mortal Kombat” and a slate of films on the Warner Bros. roster, all of which will be available to stream for the first month after the films are released in theaters. Inspired by the popular video game, the latest “Mortal Kombat” adventure marks the feature film debut of award-winning Australian commercial director Simon McQuiod. James Wan (“The Conjuring,” “Aquaman”) produces, alongside Todd Garner (“Into the Storm”), McQuiod, and Bennett Walsh (“Men in Black: International,” “The Amazing Spider-Man 2”).
The premise follows Cole Young (Lewis Tan), a washed up MMA-fighter unaware of his heritage — or why he’s being hunted down by Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim). Fearing for his family’s safety, Young sets out to track down Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), an agent for the Earthrealm Special Forces unit. Along the way, Young meets Special Forces Major Jackson “Jax” Bridges (Mehcad Brooks), who happens to bear the same mysterious birthmark as he does. Young soon finds himself at the Temple of Earthrealm protector Lord Raiden, where he is granted sanctuary and trains with skilled warriors such as Liu Kange (Ludi Lin), Kung Lao (Max Huang), and Kano (Josh Lawson) in preparation for an intergalactic martial arts battle to defend the Earthrealm against the enemies of Outworld, once and for all. The film includes Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada) a titular character in the “Mortal Kombat” universe. In taking on such a popular franchise, McQuiod wanted to give special attention to each character. “These are revered characters, whether it’s Sonja, Jax or Kung Lao. I kept saying there’s a big percentage of people that are only coming to see Kung Lao, or their favorite is Sonja,” McQuoid said. “To manage the characters within this ensemble cast was a big deal and I tried as best I could to make sure each character had a reason to exist and they didn’t feel underdone or overdone; it was really hard. It’s a very dense, multi-layered film with a lot of preconceived notions from super-fans who expect [this and that]. There’s a lot to consider!” The release of a new “Mortal Kombat” film comes almost two years to the day since the wildly popular video game, “Mortal Kombat 11” made its debut. For fans of the film franchise and the video games, this is the perfect time to get reacquainted with the original film series. Below, find out where you can watch and stream the other “Mortal Kombat” films.
“Mortal Kombat” Blu-Ray
The 1995 installment of “Mortal Kombat,” directed by Kevin Droney and Paul W.S. Anderson, launched the film franchise. The film’s premise follows martial artist Lui Kang (Robin Shou), action movie star Johnny Cage (Linden Ashby), and Blade (Bridgette Wilson) as they prepare to defeat demonic soul-stealing sorcerer, Shang Tsung. The trio was handpicked by Lord Rayden (Christopher Lambert) who doubles as a mentor. “Mortal Kombat” was a major box office hit, raking in $124 million worldwide.
“Mortal Kombat: Annihilation” Blu-Ray
It’s no secret that the sequel to “Mortal Kombat” missed the mark with critics and fans, but sometimes a bad movie is just what the doctor ordered. Released in 1997, “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation” was a commercial failure, directed by John R. Leonetti. The film is based off the video game “Mortal Kombat 3” and centers around Emperor Shao Kahn, ruler of the Outerworld, who slips through an open portal with his warriors in tow. Kahn breaks the rules set in place by the Elder Gods by attempting a merger between the Earthrealm and Outerworld. The cast of “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation” includes Robin Shou, Brian Thompson, Talisa Soto, Sandra Hess, James Remar, and Lynn “Red” Williams.
“Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge” Blu-Ray
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